Japadog, Vancouver

Okonomi dog at Japadog — Kurobuta sausage, Japanese mayonnaise, Okonomiyaki sauce, bonito flakes and fried cabbage.

Amazing. Simply Amazing.

galettes

I found local buckwheat flour at the farmer's market and knew it was a sign to make crêpes, or galettes bretonnes, those wonderful Breton crêpes made with buckwheat that go perfectly with a wheat beer. These are filled with sautéed fennel, a year-old chèvre from the Hillman's and topped with fennel greens. Most satisfying.

sour cherries!

Sour cherries were something I had only heard about — I assumed you needed to live in France, Hungary or California to even imagine finding them local. I was wrong.


I found these local sour cherries with a "try me" sign at a family market in town. They are, hands down, the most delicious cherries I have ever eaten. In a perfect world, I'd have had a duck to roast and would have made Canneton Montmorecy.

What I did make was a cherry shortcake of sorts. I made biscuits from Jennifer McLagan's Fat cookbook — I baked her suet biscuits for cobbler on a sheet pan and they turned out amazing! I soaked pitted cherries in Luxardo Maraschino Originale (which, as far as I know, is the only true maraschino liqueur produced) and some sugar, split the biscuits, placed the mascerated cherries and juice on the biscuits and topped with cream whipped with more Luxardo (no additional sugar needed).

The biscuits hold up to the tartness of the cherries while having a savory lightness that only comes with suet (I figured I needed a no-hold-barred biscuits for the cherries and maraschino) and the combination is truly stellar. We didn't even pause for a photo.

ume boshi noodles

I bought some incredible, pink ume boshi noodles at Uwajimaya in Seattle and was waiting for the perfect use for them (my beau and I love those pickled plums). I boiled them as I would soba, tossed them with sesame oil, (freshly!) toasted sesame seeds, garlic-infused rice vinegar (leftover from garlic tsukeomono), ginger pickled with shiso, mirin and finely julienned asparagus (save those tips, though!).

This I served with the reserved asparagus tips, quartered harukei turnips, halved radishes and a spread made from tahini, homemade miso and leeks (puree in a 3-2-1 ratio or so, to taste).

eggs florentine

Go in to work late today so I made myself a nice breakfast — a version of eggs florentine.


...with a side of Vermont Smoke and Cure bacon (I bought an uncut piece and sliced ¼-inch slices.)


Between sautéed spinach from a local farm (I can't remember their name at the moment) and the hollandaise sauce (with cute, small eggs from the same folks, and using Julia Child's formula in Mastering the Art...), I probably consumed a half-stick of butter.


But it was well worth it. Skipping english muffins and having toasted ciabbatine rolls was most definitely a great idea.

rosemary-rhumarb-cucumber salad

Made this recipe (via Jello Mold Mistress of Brooklyn) and it was pretty amazing. And I'm not one who eats gelatin salads regularly. Perfect for a 1950s cocktail party, especially when you want to skip mayonnaisey gelatin salads.

sardines

This is a new favorite for a quick and very satisfying meal. I started with a french bâtard from the Hungry Ghost, drizzled it with olive oil and placed some Dodoni feta on top. This went under the broiler until the feta started to brown and I topped it with Alshark sardines "in spicy oil." I've done this closed in ciabbatine, with or without mustard, and it's always great. The asparagus were tossed in olive oil and salt and broiled until sizzling.

grapefruit bitters

Straining grapefruit bitters — this is my third bitters attempt and the least traditional (the other have been heavy on gentian and other herbs, a bit like Angostura, the most recent heavy on hibiscus, cardamon and pomegranate molasses as well). This was gin (New Amsterdam for its vanilla notes and affordability), grapefruit peels, sweet cinnamon, cloves and star anise. It's very bright and I goes great with gin (in the tradition of Pink Gin) or (!) with brandy on ice.

spring!

Step one: marinate lamb riblets and goat chops in toasted & ground cayenne, coriander, pepper, salt and cumin.


Serve greek feta and moroccan sardines while waiting.


Marinate asparagus in olive oil and diced preserved lemons.


Have harissa on hand, mix with some pomegranate molasses and garlic. Sear ribs/chops on both sides, cover and grill for twenty minutes. Mix with harissa mixture, cover.




Take a break, eat an arugula-strawberry salad by Kate.


Grill the ribs/chops a second time.


And eat — with that asparagus, marinated and grillled. This was wonderful with tzatziki and some bulgur tossed with lots of parsley and some preserved lemon.

chowder.

This site is thanks to the efforts of the erudite, concise, Jake Walker. Do check it out.

« chocolate hazelnut ramekins »

I was planning to make a far breton for dessert for some friends the other night, having callously forgotten a friend's aversion to dried fruit (far breton is basically clafoutis with brandy-soaked prunes in place of the cherries), so I needed to find a substitution (which was, in hindsight, a godsend, as this was great).

I had eggs for the far and leftover cream from my pâté, and by chance came across my new favorite dessert. This one of the variations of Tartine's "Chocolate Hazelnut Tart" in their eponymous cookbook.


The filling starts with ½ c. butter, ¼ c. brandy and ⅓ c. sugar melted in a double boiler and then poured over 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate until melted and incorporated. Meanwhile, beat another ⅓ c. sugar with 3 eggs, a pinch of salt and ½ t. orange zest (or lemon, which worked wonderfully with the brandy).

At this point, slowly fold the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture, in thirds. (This part can be refrigerated and portioned out later). Divide into four 5- or 6-oz. ramekins and bake 9 minutes or so, until slightly puffed.

Serve immediately. I topped this with a barely sweet, boozy brandy whipped cream. As these are deeper than a tart would have been, they don't set up as much and you get a cross between pots-de-crème and mousse. Thanks, Tartine!

pâté de campagne / country terrine

Finally using my great-grandmother meat grinder for its intended purpose.


Here's a little over a pound of pork belly — it's on the lead side (that is to say, it's not all fat) so I used just the belly (no other cut of pork) with the liver. I used beef liver, since it's easy to find, cheap and local. I soaked it in milk to take out any overwhelming flavors.


Started with the belly, but alternated, per Jennifer McLagan's suggestion in Fat, meat and liver (belly being tough, and liver soft, it makes it easier). I then sautéed onions and garlic in lard and suet with some sugar, until caramelized.


Heavy cream, parsley, thyme, brandy, salt, eggs, pepper and a mixture of hungarian paprika and merquen ahumado, a great, smoky chili pepper that a friend passed onto me.


The meat gets mixed on slow as the spices, eggs and cream are added. Then the onions and garlic are added.


A bastardized version of several recipes, this was finished with strips of belly fat as I couldn't find caul fat for wrapping but also didn't want to go the bacon wrapping route (I wanted to taste liver and belly, not bacon).


Baked in a water bath until it reaches 165ºF — and the aged at least two days.


Voilà — simple, very rich (and best after a week), coarse like the pâté de campagne I tasted at wine tastings in the Loire as a student, and proving that beef liver can be great. Now if only I could find caul fat for the next try!